Cigarette case



Aug. 5 1924. 1,504,128

- c. G. LINDBOM CIGARETTE GAS E Filed March 5, 1922 vs/v Tax-7 Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

uiTEo STATES.

P i E "i".

CARL GABRIEL LINDBOM, OF DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

.- CIGARETTE CASE.

Application filed March 3, 1922. Serial No- 540,695.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAhL GABRIEL LIND- BOM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dover, in the county ,of Strafl'ord and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette Cases, of which the following is a specification.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to cigarette cases, and more particularly to cases for cigarettes marketed in" a wrapping or package of paper or other material which is so pliable that the package is dependent on the presence of the cigarettes therein to hold its shape.

When the user desires to obtain a cigarette from such a package, he usually tears open a portion of the wrapping at one end of the package, thereby enabling him to pull a cigarette therefrom. After the first cigarette has been removed,the cigarettesremaining in the package are loose, and this loose-' ness increases as succeeding cigarettes are removed from the package. The conse' quence is that the cigarettes become 'dis-.

placed from their original parallel-side-byside relation, and the Wrapping no longer is held in its original shape, but becomes dented or depressed inward and distorted. As a result, a portion of the tobacco in the cigarettes is loosened and escapes from the ends of the cigarettes, and escapes from the package. When the opened package is returned into the pocket of the user, the to bacco is liable to escape from the package into his pocket. Also, some of the cigarettes are liable to escape from the package into the pocket, and the cigarettes are liable to become bent and crumbled or broken so that they are unfit for use.

The aim and purpose of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a simple cigarette case for the type of cigarette package referred to, whereby the package may be maintained in its original shape until all of the cigarettes have been removed therefrom, and whereby the opening at the end of the package through which the cigarettes are removed may be normally closed by the case cover so as to prevent escape of tobacco from the package.

With the aforesaid and other purposes in view, the character of the invention will be best understood by reference to the following description of one good form thereof side flanges.

drawing,

jecting therefrom and spaced apart so as to receive a cigarette package 5 between them. The sides 3 may have a length substantially equal to the length vof the ciga rette package. The sides 3 have opposed inturned flanges 7 at one side of the case, and similar opposed inturned flanges 9 at the opposite side of the case. The top and sides described,- may be conveniently died out of sheet metal, and bent, to the shape described. I

An important feature of the invention relates to means for holding the package in the case. This means, in the present instance, comprises atongue or member 11 located at one end of the case intermediate the side flanges 9. This tongue, in the present instance, is a continuation of a plate 13 (Fig. 3) bent substantially at right angles to the tongue, and extending along the under side of the top and, secured thereto by if rivet 15 or other appropriate means. The tongue 11 may have opposed longitudinal marginal portions or flanges 17 curved or bent inward -somewhat, said marginal portions being provided with series of notches 19 or other suitable frictional surface. These marginal portions 19 and the side flanges 9 overlap a substantiahextent, and

the inherent resilience of the tongue 11 is such that it tends to move outward to press the marginal portions thereof against the The top 1 may have a short lip 20 (Figs. 2 and 3) bent therefrom and extending a short distance alon the tongue '11 to serve as a stop, as more ully hereinafter described.

The top 1 of the case is made short ,1 than the width of the case to leave an op ning 21 through which the cigarettes may be removed from the package. This opening may be provided with a cover 23 conveniently of sheet metal, and provided with hinge pins 25 entered through holes in the sides 3 adjacent the upper ends thereof, said pins being offset somewhat from the inner edge 27 of the cover. A leaf spring 29 (Fig.3) conveniently an extension of the tongue carrying plate 13 referred to, has its free end in engagement with the inner edge portion of the cover. Opposed to the fre end of the v s ring is a down-turned flange 31 forme 'on the top 1, and serving as a stop to limit opening movement of the cover. The

- upper portions of the sides 3 at the 1 pening, may be cut away to present wings 33 for engagement with opposite edges of the cover.

When it is desired to open the cover, the

front edge thereof is engaged by the hand of the user, and rocked from its position shown in Fig. 3, to its position shown in Fig. 1. In the course .of this movement of the cover, its rear edge will wipe down against the free end portion of the leaf spring 29, thereby increasing the tension 'of the latter. When the cover 1s in open position, the spring will engage the inner edge thereof and hold the same in said position. When the cover is closed, the spring will ongage the inner side portion of the cover and press the same against the top flange stop 31 and hold the cover in said position.

The cigarette package of the type above referred to, has a paperba-nd or Wrapper" 35, usually stamped with'--the name of the brand of the cigarette, and with pictorial and other printed matter. When it is desired to introduce a cigarette package into the case, the package is presented at the open base of the case and slid therein, as.

will be noted in Fig. 2. In the course of this movement, the tongue 11 will project between the wrapper and one side of the package, and said tongue will be sprung or.

'flexed inward somewhat away from the side flanges 9. The consequence is that the wrapper will be frictionally gripped between the tongue and the side flanges 9, and will secure the package in the case. The series of notches 19 in the marginalportions of the tongue will contribute to the frictional grip of the tongue .on the wrapper. 1 These notches may. desirably have an iuclination in respect to the longitudinal edges of the tongue, thereby further to contribute to their securing effect. 1

- It will be noted that he'- side of the casing intermediate the fla ges 7 is open. but

since the tongue is inserted between the wrapper and the body of the package. it will not only prevent outward movement of the package through the open end of the case, out also will prevent outward movement of the package through the side opening between the. flanges 7.

cient protecting container for into engagement with the lip stop 20, and

arrest the package at a point somewhat in from the top of the case. This will prevent the top from pressing on the end of the package and the cigarettes contained therein.- The construction of the case is such that the cigarettes in the package do not experience either lateral or end pressure.

' When it is desired to remove a cigarette from the case, the cover 23 is opened, and a portion of the top of the package exposed by the cover is torn away. Then a cigarette at the cover opening 21 may be pulled from the package. If need be, this may be assisted by'pressing the finger against the flexible bottom of the package exposed at the open base of the case.

'When it is desired to remove another cigarette from the package, the case may be manipulated so as to allow the cigarettes to drop or gravitate toward the side of the package at the opening, so that the upper end of the cigarette will be exposed where it may be grasped and pulled from the package as before. Thus. successive cigarettes may/ be removed from the package in the case, and since the sides' of the case do not press against the sides of the package.

and'the top of the'case does notyprcs low lln

the' package. will prevent thelatter from escape through the open side of the case opposite to the tongue, whereas, otherwise the package would be .liable to escape through the open side, especially when the cigarettes have been nearly all removed-from the. package and no longer hold the sides of the package outward in their. original form. The cover of the case will be normally closed, and thus will prevent any loose tobacco escaping from the ends of the cigarettes from falling out of the case.

The cigarette'case is simple and cheap ll] construction, and desirable as an eflicigarette packages.

P It 7 will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiclaims.

What is claimed is 1. A cigarette case comprising a top, opposed sides projecting from said top and spaced to receive a cigarette package between them, and a tongue projecting from said top intermediate said sides or insertion between the package and its wrapper, said sides having inturned flanges cooperating with said tongue to frictionally grip the wrapper and hold the package in the case.

spaced to receive a cigarette package between them, said sides having inturned flanges for engagement with sides of the package, and 'a tongue at one side of the case adjacent the side-flanges thereat and cooperating with the latter to grip the wrapper of the package between them.

4. A cigarette case comprising a top, op-

posed sides-projecting from said top,

tongue cooperating with the sides to grip a portion of the wrapper of the cigarette package between them, and a stop at one end of said tongue to prevent the inner endof'the package from engagement with the topof the case. p

5. A cigarette case comprising two spaced side walls having an open end therebetween through which a wrapped cigarette package I may be inserted, a top plateat the opposite end said top plate having' an opening pro- .vided with a movable cover through which cigarettes may be extracted, means to prevent the inner end of the package when inserted from engaging said top plate, and a tongue extending from said plate adapted to slip inside the wrapper of the package and guide the package into engagement with said means 6. A cigarette case comprising a top having an opening therein, opposed sides projecting from said top and adapted to receive a cigarette package between them, means frictionally to hold the package in the case,.and a cover for said opening movable to expose ends of cigarettes at said opening.

7. A cigarette case comprising a top, opposed sides projecting from said top for receiving a cigarette packagebetween them, and a plate secured to said. top having a tongue projecting therefrom for insertion between the body of the package and a portion of the wrapper thereof, said sides having portions cooperating with said tongue to frictionally grip the portion of the wrap per therebetween.

8. A cigarette case comprising a top having an opening, opposed sides pro ecting therefrom and spaced to receive a cigarette package between them, a hinged cover for said openinggl plate secured to said top having a spring portion cooperating with the cover to hold the same in open and closed positions, and a tongue projecting from said plate between the sides of the casing and cooperating with-the latter to grip a portion of the wrapper of the package. 9. A cigarette case comprising a top, opposed sides projecting from said top for receiving a cigarette package between them, and a tongue projecting from the top between said, sides for insertion between a side of the-package and its wrapper.

-10. A cigarette case having a top, sides with an opening. at one side of the case and an opening at the end of the case, and a tongue opposite the open side of the case for entrance between a side of a cigarette package andits wrapper on insertion of the package through the end opening.

. CARL GABRIEL LINDBOM. 

